Letters to the editor: March 23

Painting the wrong picture of Mitch Daniels

I was appalled to read the ad hominem and mean-spirited letter in the March 20 J&C concerning Purdue President Mitch Daniels. The letter paints a picture of a money-grabbing, empire-building despot who is out for himself and his fellow thugs. One wonders whether the writer has ever met him. I was delighted when I learned he would be Purdue's next president. I had been impressed with Mitch as a person and because of what he has done for the state of Indiana. Compare the sorry situation is surrounding states.

When he arrived, I sent him a welcome e-mail which also outlined some issues that I felt were important. Coincidentally, one was student tuition. Subsequently, we exchanged several e-mails. I mention this to emphasize Mitch's accessibility. Later, he audited one of my lectures and chatted with the students. They were all very excited to meet with him. I saw him again at a sorority dinner. He took time to go around the room, talking and laughing with everyone. Since then he has interacted with many students on campus.

My students think highly of him and respect him. They realize that he sincerely cares, and wants them to have an affordable education. I trust he is also aware of the financial burden imposed by a top-heavy administration.

Now, to return to that letter. Could it have had something to do with the fact that Mitch is - horrors - a Republican? Surely not.

David Bridges

West Lafayette

Stop the bullies before more lives are ruined

Bullies have been around since the caveman. But what is a bully, really?

Webster defines a bully as a blustering, quarrelsome, overbearing person who habitually badgers and intimidates smaller or weaker people.

As horrible as that sounds, it's basically a coward who can't handle themselves around others, so they have hide their scared self by torturing others. This epidemic has reared its ugly head in this community more so than it has in other years, so why do we bury our heads in the sand. It's just one of those things people don't care to deal with, like death or suicide, until it affects you personally.

As a mother, I think all children are beautiful, especially teenagers. Children are our future, and without the skills to deal with what life has to throw at them, we all are doomed. I know the now generation doesn't care what they say or who they hurt, but as parents we need to take notice of what's going on and stop the bullies before they can claim another life.

A human life is a story told by God.

Lisa Sanford

Lafayette

A bit more about those federal spending cuts

To comment on the letter a few days ago on sequestration: The writer asked why the passage of sequestration had any effect on the current government programs, specifically the Federal Aviation Administration, and hinted that we are being lied to. His position was that the sequester only dealt with future budget increases.

He is partially correct. However, here is an excerpt from a paper released by the U.S. House Committee on the Budget. "The deficit reduction sequester for FY 2013 will reduce spending not only for all nonexempt mandatory programs, but beginning in January 2013 it will also lower the amount already appropriated for all nonexempt discretionary programs." Meaning, although money was already budgeted in the September 2012 budget (Fiscal Year 2013), the budgeted amount will be reduced by the first year's amount.